Ogl 321 Module 6 Paper
Ogl 321 Module 6 Paper
Rachael E. Lohnes
Author Note
Contact: [email protected]
OGL 321 MODULE 6 PAPER
schedule compliance, demonstrating the ability to make trade-offs when project targets are
unrealistic, and identifying what constitutes the international standard in project management
ethics and professional conduct. Using "Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers" from
Kliem’s Ethics in Project Management, PMI’S Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct,
Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule V2” we explore the dimensions of this
module’s focuses.
“Poor communication is one of the most prevalent soft ethical issues.” (Kliem 2011: 31).
When analyzing schedule compliance, one of the biggest factors to influence project success and
project manager reputation is communication. “Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers”
states that “project managers communicate 90 percent of their time with stakeholders. . . it is
quite clear that project managers should do nothing to hurt their credibility.” (Kliem 201: 31).
Scenario E of “Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule V2” showed us that
communicating a change in the project schedule early in the project is beneficial to project
success. This minimizes the project team’s stress level. Along with that, honest communication
allows upper-management and stakeholders insight on the project and allows them to make
necessary changes when it comes to announcing and promoting the project. “Honest and open
who lose credibility will lose the project.” (Kliem 201: 31).
OGL 321 MODULE 6 PAPER
withhold information and lose their credibility. There was a time when one of the shift managers
at my first store would wait until the last minute to tell the closing baristas about extra tasks that
needed to be completed. We would have to rush to get things done and sometimes even stay late
to complete the tasks. There were several times where the tasks would not get done because we
could not stay late. The shift manager who withheld the information from us told our store
manager what we just chose not to complete the tasks. When the store manager asked me why I
chose not to complete the tasks, I had to tell her that I was not informed that the tasks needed to
be completed until it was too late in the evening and we had to clock out because we could not
risk going into overtime. This hurt the credibility of the shift manager because he had failed to
communicate with the baristas and then lied to the store manager about it, thus hindering our
ability to comply with the schedule by getting all our work done on time.
Demonstrating the ability to make trade-offs when project targets are unrealistic was the
second focus of this week’s module. This focus was primarily demonstrated during Scenario E
of “Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule V2”. Two of the main types of
risk encountered during this scenario were schedule risk and cost risk. Schedule risk is the risk
that activities will take longer than expected, and cost risk is the escalation of project costs due to
During the scenario, I found that with communicating a change in schedule helped to keep the
teams stress level down as well as keeping our cost as close to the intended budget as possible.
Padding and low-balling are ethical issues that are associated with changing the project schedule
and budget. “padding is not based on sound reasoning and can lead to overcharging the customer
or client for work that is not really done.” (Kliem 2011: 27). On the other hand, low-balling is
OGL 321 MODULE 6 PAPER
“getting a contract with a customer by deliberately underbidding to get the contract and then
jacking up costs once the contract has been signed.” (Kliem 2011: 27). Padding and low-balling
are not illegal, but they can have unethical implications for the project, per "Why Ethics Should
Matter to Project Managers". The stage of development that a team is in can influence whether a
team will resort to low-balling or padding. A team that is in the storming phase may “have
different opinions on what should be done and how it should be done” may be more likely to
succumb to lowballing a project estimate due to their lack of the ability to solve problems as a
performing stage is “highly motivated to get the job done” and they can “make decisions and
in the performing stage is likely to avoid the ethical issues of low-balling and padding as means
“Honesty is our duty to understand the truth and act in a truthful manner both in our
communications and in our conduct… We do not engage in dishonest behavior with the intention
personal experience, one of the biggest effects on honesty and ethics in the workplaces stems
from conflicts of interest. "Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers" defines conflicts of
26). An experience I have had when it comes to conflicts of interest involves two the other
managers at my Starbucks dating. My coworker, we can pretend his name is Jack, asked me to
switch shifts with him. I would take his Tuesday shift and Jack would take my Friday shift.
While I held up my end of the bargain, Jack called off for the shift he took from me. He said that
he was throwing up and had to call an ambulance. The only options for people to cover this shift
OGL 321 MODULE 6 PAPER
were myself and my coworker, we can pretend her name is Sarah. Because I had planned on
being off during this time, I had made a doctor appointment. After several attempts to get ahold
of Sarah over the course of almost 6 hours, I had to cancel my doctor appointment and go into
work. By the time I had gotten to work my store manager had figured out (thanks to some
insight from several of the baristas) that Jack and Sarah were dating. Jack had called off my shift
and Sarah had ignored our texts and calls asking her to cover the shift all so the two of them
could spend the day together at a convention that was taking place. This is an example of a
conflict of interest because now Jack and Sarah have an allegiance to each other rather than to
the organization. When looking at the code of ethics, this is a violation of honesty. Not only had
Jack and Sarah lied about their relationship, they had lied to get out coming to work.
The use of "Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers" from Kliem’s Ethics in
MANAGEMENT.COM’s blog posts “The Five Stages of Project Team Development” and
Scope, Resources, Schedule V2” have assisted in the exploration of the dimensions of this
practicing schedule compliance, demonstrating the ability to make trade-offs when project
targets are unrealistic, and identifying what constitutes the international standard in project
REFERENCES
Kliem, R. (2011). "Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers". In Ethics and Project
stages-of-project-team-development/
management/